Did you ever come across a screenshot from flight simulator that made you just stop and gape? One that, at first glance, looked like a photograph instead of a computer-based sim? I had one of those moments this week, and it got me thinking about what makes some simulated objects appear more or less “real” than others. Hint: it’s all in the lighting.

Two add-on previews got me thinking about lighting; Fly Tampa’s new Caribbean airports project, and Classics Hangar’s FW-190. The two products couldn’t be more different in terms of subject matter, execution, or overall feel. What they share is a nuanced and detailed approach in representing how light interacts with objects, and how manipulating shadows and highlights can lend those objects weight and volume.

Modeling Light, Not Just Objects

At right is the shot that first intrigued me. It’s not the fanciest model I’ve ever seen, nor is it a particularly daring composition.  What it does have is an excellent balance between light and shadow. The metal of the roofs is just shiny enough, bright but not overdone, and stands out in stark contrast with the even green of the jungle behind it. Looking below the roof line, you can see the shadows cast by the deep eaves onto the walls below. There’s a bit of reflection in the windows, but it’s subtle.

Then there’s this shot – another terminal at another airport in this package. Again, nothing dramatic, but look at how the shadows under those thatched peaks gives the recessed areas such depth. The thatch work isn’t shiny, so there’s not much contrast between the lights and darks, unlike the red roof nearby. In both shots, the overall contrast is low, which simulates the hazy, moisture-laden air of the tropics. You can almost hear the mosquitos buzzing and the brightly-colored birds twittering.

I’ve seen a lot of technically very proficient models not look half as real and alive as the ones in these two shots. Often times, a modeler will be so obsessed with making sure their textures are tack-sharp that they opt to repeat a small, detailed texture across a broad surface. Inevitably, the effect is less realistic, rather than more, because the human eye is so highly attuned to picking up patterns. All it takes is a whiff of perceived repetition, and all the visual trickery you’re striving for goes up in smoke.

Neither of the two FlyTampa screenshots depict overly sharp textures. Instead, they use their slight softness to good effect, by replacing repetition with natural variation. Look at the corrugated metal roofs in the first shot. Yes, technically, the surface is made up of repeating lines that form a pattern. But look closer… the metal has stains and streaks, random slight shadows and raised spots, none of which follow a pattern. It’s the little things that are barely noticable at first glance that give those buildings that extra presence.

Hand-Drawn or Photos?

In a very different vein, there are these preview pics of Classics Hangar’s upcoming Focke-Wulf FW190 (Late Variants) release. The more I see of this project, the more it blows me away. Nick Churchill has been churning out preview pics, and these shots are from the collection of shots on his forum.

Have a look at the dashboard to the right. If your first instinct is that it uses photographic textures, you could certainly be forgiven. This is a masterful example of a technique called “baking in” the shadows, in which the 3D modeling software analyzes the model’s geometry and factors in how light would bounce around the space. My favorite part of this shot? The ever-so-subtle shadows beneath the gauge bezels. That’s not FS lighting, my friends, that’s pure rendered shadowing, quite possibly heavily tweaked by the devs as well. Look at the shadow under the gyro compass to the right. It’s darker, deeper, and less distinct than those of its counterparts to the left, in keeping with the fact that the gauge itself stands out from the panel more. This is a perfect example of how shadows complement the gauges, increasing the sense of substance.

Here’s a close-up shot of the gauge faces. Notice the way the shadowing on the inner disc of the turn indicator suggests not only the slight backset to that part of the gauge, but that it’s a curved surface as well. Lean in a little closer, and you see something else – the needles in the gauges are casting shadows! Think about it. Not only have they modeled the shadow, but they’ve tied it to the needle movement, which means it’s not part of the gauge face, but a separately-moving item all its own. I’m not sure whether it’s done purely in the textures or with bump mapping, but even the stamped inscriptions on the gauge faces are there.

What these shots prove is that hand-drawn textures can actually trump photos in terms of perceived realism. Yes, it takes a great deal of skill and patience to work at this level, but the results are nothing short of phenomenal.

So the next time you’re thinking to yourself how much a particular add-on appeals to you, stop to consider how much the lighting has to do with it. Reflected light is the way we humans see things, so mimicking the play of that light across a surface is something that 3D modelers have to give a lot of thought to. How they handle it is what makes the difference between a good product and a great one.

Happy flying!

Cody Bergland of Jaggyroad Films just released his latest opus, a preview of Orbx’s upcoming FTX NA Blue: Pacific Northwest scenery. Not only do you get stunning views of this gorgeous part of the world (though I may be biased), but also a couple of peeks at the first two payware airports designed to fit within it – 1S2 Darrington Municipal, and 7S3 Stark’s Twin Oaks (okay, I’m definitely biased). Watch it below, sure, but this is one that’s worth downloading the high res version.

After a couple months of posting my weekly Fanboy Friday roundups, it finally happened. Splat. My FS writing time Yugo was run over by the 18-wheeler of my day job. I was going to try and hustle together something for y’all this weekend, but as Monday bears down on us, it’s not looking too likely. Instead, I thought I’d take a moment to give you a better idea of who I am and where my time goes.

The online world is a twisted way to experience life, on that we can all agree. I’ve made a whole bunch of friends over the years – that’s without the quotes, as I truly consider them friends – but the fact that I only know them through an avatar and a username means that I miss whole huge blocks of their story. I suspect the same is true in reverse. You know that I’m a scenery designer, and maybe you’ve read a few blog posts here, but that’s only one small slice of what I’m up to.

A typical day in my life starts at 5:30 or 6 each morning. I work from home, so the morning commute is a trip to the coffee pot to throw on some brew, followed by padding into my office to flick the computer on. I read some forums, catch up on news, and check my email before diving into my work day. From reading some of the impatient forum postings about how long Emma Field is taking, I get the feeling that people assume I’m pretty much 100% on to scenery design by this point. I wish.

At least half of every day is taken up by servicing one of my web clients, House of Antique Hardware. I do design work, copy writing, and some programming for their site. Just recently, we completed a large project in which we rolled out their Period Home Collections, groups of reproduction house hardware grouped by style and era. I worked with their photographer to design the headers for each collection, wrote the intro copy, designed the page layouts, and created all the graphics, ads, and Flash movies to support the launch.

Before I got into FS work, web design was my trade. It’s still my primary business, although the last couple of years, the scenery has begun playing a larger role. In addition to House of Antique Hardware, I designed a site for a local client, Woodburn Company Stores, that requires constant updates, as does Biotech Insight, my longest-running client at 10 years. And just recently, I did my first full WordPress site for Underhill Training. The combined total of all those keeps me hopping.

And of course, there’s the noveling. I’ve been a writer since I was a kid, but in the last five years it’s become more of an obsession. I’m nearly done with my second manuscript, Last Thursday, a murder mystery set against the backdrop of the Portland arts scene. This follows The Big Spin, a 500+ page behemoth that I completed a couple of years ago, and which is still awaiting revisions.

November is a major month on my calendar, as it’s National Novel Writing Month, a frenzied 30 days in which writers all over the world try to give birth to a 50,000 word novel from scratch. For the slow writers among us (Bill raises hand), it’s a chance to just go all-out crazy and fly through the pages. I pulled an idea from a recent newspaper article, and I’m about to dive into it after I finish this post and have a quick shower.

Flight sim design is definitely a labor of love, and one I’m not likely to give up anytime soon. For those who wonder what takes me so very long, I offer this post. Just be thankful I have any time at all for it! I know I am.

But enough about me. Tell me, what happens in your life between flights? Seriously, I’d like to know.

Ack! I’m up to my neck in day-job work today, with no time to whip my weekly Fanboy Friday post into shape. My plan is to cobble it together tonight or tomorrow morning for a Spooky Saturday post instead. Thanks for bearing with me.

In the meantime, if you’re new to FF, you can browse the previous posts here.

Have an excellent Friday!

And that means another heaping pile of stuff that you could spend all your money and time on, if you were so inclined. This week has been a real mixed bag of releases, so you’re sure to find something here that tickles your fancy, makes you roll your eyes, or both. So, what’s new?

Another Cub Takes to the Skies

My good buddy and long-time producer Francois Dumas released another in his budding line of aircraft under the FSAddon label. We’ve all been going a little Cub nuts lately, thanks to the offerings that are raining down fast and furious, and into this mix comes another, courtesy of Simon Smeiman. He’s done up a right nice Super Cub package that is definitely not wanting when it comes to variety! For a very modest EUR 16.50 (19.63 w/VAT), you can own not one, but seven different varieties of Super Cub, in 24 different liveries. By type, they are:

• Standard wheeled
• Floats
• Amphibian
• Large Tundra Tires
• Medium Tundra Tires
• Skis
• Aerobatic Model

Combine this with three different panel layouts, and the aicraft selection menu choices alone will take you an hour. I had a go around the Stark’s Twin Oaks area last night, and found Simon’s Super Cub to be a well-mannered little hot rod, at least compared to the Cub that I’ve gotten used to flying these past few weeks. If you’re a fan of the type, this is one to add to your collection.

Ant’s Boonah – My Kind of Scenery!

Apparently, Australia is the new powerhouse where virtual aviation is concerned. I wrote last week about the extensive new OZx freeware release, and fast on its heels another Aussie dev, Anthony “Ant” Lynch has turned out another in his “Ant’s Aussie Airports” series. This time, it’s the busy little field at Boonah. From the documentation:

Boonah is a small town about 70km SW from the centre of Brisbane and 70km W of the Gold Coast. Boonah airfield is a small, but busy, airstrip 2km south of the town of Boonah. It features a glider club and an ultralight club (the Flying Tigers). Airsport is a flying school and Scenic Rim Aviation provides scenic flights, flight training and charter.

This scenery models the airfield and provides about 9km square of photoreal ground textures. The photoreal is designed to blend with the FTX payware textures for Australia so it is recommended that you have these installed. Also recommended is the freeware OZx airfields which provides hundreds of airfields Australia wide, about 30 of which are within a 100km radius of Boonah.

Sounds like a perfect place to get some grass in your wheelwells, doesn’t it? What sold me was the screenshots, though. This guy Ant is exactly my kind of developer. More than anything else in this highly detailed little airport, I loved that he included touches like the Spitfire that’s up on jacks being restored, the two young women chatting by the FBO’s front door, and the guy washing his glider. If any of that sounds good to you, go grab it here.

A Tube, True, But Look At That VC!

Few devs have stirred up the community (for better and worse) like the Russian Captain Sim team. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you have to admit; they have some true 3D artists in their ranks. Just recently, they released their latest major offering, the Boeing 767. It’s been a while since we had a new one of these jumbos to play with, the last being the groundbreaking Level-D version, which was a delight. This one promises to be classic CaptainSim, glories, warts, and all.

I don’t have this big bird yet, but I did pick up their 757 last Christmas during their insane $9.99 sale. If you’re an eye-candy nut, you’ll drool all over this thing. It’s just drop-dead gorgeous. Load it up at night, and feast your eyes on the virtual cockpit. Nobody does night lighting like these guys! With the disclaimer, again, that I haven’t tried the 767, I can say that the rumors I heard of low frame rates just don’t hold up on my half-decent rig. In fact, I get very smooth performance in the 757; as good as any other complex aircraft I own. If you commit the occasional tube driving, it’s something to think about… more info here.

Fly a Forgotten Cessna

The sim world is awash in Cessnas. For the most part, though, they’re the more common new varieties such as 152’s, 172’s, and 182’s. Thankfully, devs Simflight3D have taken it upon themselves to provide us with some more seminal Cessnas, such as the newly released 140 tail-dragger. Finished in shiny bare metal with flashes of color, this little bird looks like it’d make a great bush hauler. The interior is nicely textured, but the panel is a bit plain. Then again, these babies weren’t exactly stuffed with space-age avionics to begin with, so that’s probably appropriate. Tempting, very tempting. Expecially at only EUR 15.35. Man, there are some mighty good deals lately on planes.

Technically, Not FS News

I hope you didn’t think you were going to make it through this FF without a mention of Windows 7. Yup, Redmond has shoved their latest OS out the door as of this week, and it should be on store shelves now. Ordinarily, I’m loathe to upgrade my operating system, and I never (NEVER!) jump on a new release right off the bat. This time, it’s different. Microsoft offered a public beta and release candidate of Windows 7 many months ago, and I’ve been running the RC1 version on a second hard drive for a long time now. I figured I’d load it on a spare drive and occasionally check it out, while continuing to do the bulk of my work on XP.

Wrong-O. After a few days of trying the 64-bit version of Win7 out, I was fully hooked. In fact, it’s been months since I even booted into XP. Maybe it’s just the step up from a 32-bit OS to 64, but this thing screams. My boot times are faster, my system more stable, and of course I’ve got access to all 6GB of my RAM instead of a meager 3.2GB. Add it all up, and it’s a great platform for general computing, and not too shabby for FSX, either. I imagine I’ll be heading off to the computer store in the next few days to buy my full copy. If you were (rightfully) afraid to try it after the Vista train wreck, take a deep breath. It seems like the nightmare is over.

This weekend, between taking the kids to the mall, cleaning your gutters, and washing the cat… go flying!

Friday, again!? Honestly, where does the time go? Well, I know where most of mine went this week, and that’s to putting the detail touches on Twin Oaks Airpark for ORBX. While I was hip-deep in that, wonder what else was going on in the FS universe…

Piglet Does Paris

That prodigious, porcine producer of peculiar planes has dropped another one on our doorstep. Last weekend, Tim “Piglet” Conrad uploaded his MS.760 Paris Jet, a rarely-seen 4-seater jet.Tim often touts the freedom of being able to create whatever he likes on whatever schedule suits him, freed from the shackles of paying customer expectations. The result is that we get to fly planes that many of us have never heard of. And fine birds they are, too! Over the years, he’s steadily been sharpening his skills on an impressive array of releases, and I dare say that by now, he’s one of the most experienced modelers in the FS universe. I took the Paris Jet up for a little jaunt through the autumn Pacific Northwest skies last night, and had a blast. This little mère is fast, let me tell you. From the looks of the VC, it’s roomy, too – the perfect transport for the fat-cat executive on your Christmas list. Snag your copy here.

Orbx Previews Pacific Northwest

Australian FS developers Orbx unveiled a facelift for their website this week, to little fanfare. Beneath the slick new exterior lie some new product previews that a whole bunch of ’simmers have been waiting for, namely their FTX NA BLUE Pacific Northwest package. Also included: previews of the first two high-def airports to be released in conjunction with the base scenery, 1S2: Darrington Municipal, and 7S3: Stark’s Twin Oaks Airpark.

Darrington is the work of Andreas Hegi and Heiko Glatthorn, a gorgeous rendition of a field that fans of Richard Goldstein’s Georender series will recall. Further to the south, Twin Oaks is my first venture into Orbx waters – an airport that I’ve been planning to do for ages and finally got around to. These are only the first two of many planned PNW airports, so stay tuned.

Anyone seen my jaw?

Speaking of previews, Nick Churchill posted some shots of the upcoming FW190 release from Classics Hangar this week. This project seems to be the very definition of a labor of love. The quality of the modeling and textures is simply astounding, the detailing incredible. I know there are people who claim that payware devs are only in it for the money, but this is one release that buries that argument. There is simply no way that a WWII-era warbird like this one will sell well enough to compensate for the massive amount of time and energy they’ve clearly spent laboring over every bolt and dial. I’m planning on doing my part by picking up a copy as soon as it’s released; not because I’m a fighter fanatic, but simply to enjoy what appears to be the very pinnacle of state-of-the-art modeling for FS. Look at the shots and tell me you’ve seen anything more skillfully done than this baby.

What happens when Plans A-F fail?

Through a twisted trail of forum postings, I happened across a new flight planning software project that’s in the works. Plan-G is the work of Tim Arnot, through his company TA Software. It’s the first planner I’ve used that seamlessly integrates Google’s terrain, map, and satellite views with overlays of airports, navaids, and airways. Bearing in mind that I’ve only spent a grand total of maybe half and hour working with it, the planner seems to have definite promise. I was able to cobble together a few flight plans quickly, and being able to view the terrain and satellite imagery during the planning phase is a huge boon. Beta 3 is due out any day now, so if you’re interested, I’d suggest registering for the TA Software forums and getting in on the testing.

It’s Raining Aussie Airports – Again

And finally, if you haven’t stuffed your hard drive full enough of freeware, here’s another doozie: OZx has released their third package of high-quality airports and landmarks for the land down under. It’s a whopper, weighing in at a little over 2GB, but thankfully they’ve included a downloader tool that allows for pausing and resuming. Version 3.0 includes 27 new airfields in Victoria, NSW, SA, WA, and Queensland, 13 Water Starts, 6 new patches of scenery w/landmarks, and 298 AM radio stations, which are useful as supplementary navaids. And all for free! What have you got to lose, except a large chunk of weekend? Go get it now.

And then, go forth and fly.

This one has been a long time in the making, but the preview pics are finally available. My first project for Orbx is nearing completion: 7S3: Stark’s Twin Oaks Airpark. It’s designed to fit seamlessly into the upcoming FTX NA Blue Pacific Northwest scenery, but it’ll stand alone as well.

If ever there was a small airport that captured the spirit of GA flying in America, this is it. From the official blurb:

Nestled in the rolling farmland of the fertile Willamette Valley near Portland, Oregon, Stark’s Twin Oaks Airpark is ideally located for sightseeing in the Pacific Northwest. The rural location makes for less traffic and a relaxed atmosphere, while providing an easy jumping-off point for flights to either the coast to the west, or the rugged peaks of the Cascade range to the east.

The scenery includes a large area of 30cm/pixel aerial photoreal terrain, featuring the various orchards, Alpaca ranches, and small farms in the area. One special point of interest is the massive Glacier rock quarry, located a few miles to the southeast of the field. It deftly shows the sim possibilities when high-resolution terrain mesh is matched with detailed and meticulously color-corrected aerial photography. The high-quality mesh also makes another appearance, in what is quite possibly a first for an FS airport: multiple elevations. Twin Oaks is carved from the side of a gentle slope, and as a result, the Starks’ house, garage, and two of the hangars are on a hill overlooking the rest of the field. Lead developer Bill Womack has obsessively researched and photographed the airport over the last few years, with the enthusiastic support of owners Bob and Betty Stark. We’re proud to offer the definitive sim rendition of one of Oregon’s aviation jewels.

Check out the preview pics here. And while you’re at it, have a look at the other releases planned for both North America and Australia.

Sorry for the lame title, but my brain is liked cooked oatmeal this morning. With raisins. It’s been a long week of bashing my skull against an army of zombie web projects, and I’m done in. Good thing there are some fun FS goodies to look forward to this weekend! Which ones, you say? You’ll just have to

Use the Force

This is a hot one – just got the news this morning. Russel Dirks has just upgraded his FS Force FSX module to version 2.5. You are already using FS Force, aren’t you? Tsk. If not, you’re missing out on something really great. There are three add-ons that no virtual flier should be without; FSUIPC, a TrackIR unit, and FS Force. Of course, you’ll also need a force-feedback joystick in order to enjoy that last one.

You think I don’t see you rolling your eyes, but I do. Force feedback? That’s for kids! It’s just so… so unrealistic. Spoken like someone who has only encountered the default feedback. While I make it a policy never to disparage anyone or anything on Fanboy Fridays, I’ll make an exception just long enough to ask this: Microsoft, what were you thinking? It’s true, the default force feedback facility in the FS series is, to put it mildly, bizarre. If real aircraft controls reacted to air rushing over them the way the stock forces in FS do, Orville and Wilbur would have been just two kooks that killed themselves on a hill, and we’d all be using MS Train Sim right now.

Fortunately, FS Force is an entirely different beast. It separates the various forces of flight into categories; elevator forces, aileron forces, static forces (including goodies such as unloaded elevator weight), ground ops, braking, etc. Aircraft in your hangar can be assigned to individual force profiles, and each profile can be tuned to your liking. For instance, I’ve set up a profile just for my Piper Cub collection (see right) and configured it so that the elevator and ailerons stiffen up and offer resistance at much lower speeds than, say, a jet fighter.

But wait, it gets better. One of the places where FS Force really shines is in how it handles trimming. By default, FS treats the trim commands sort of like mini joystick inputs, simply deflecting the controls up or down, right or left. FS Force actually links trimming with control forces. That means you can hold the stick back for a climb, for instance, and then use your trim keys/buttons/controller axis to trim away the pressure on your FFB stick until it is balanced in the new position. It’s one of those things that you have to feel in order to appreciate, but trust me, it’s the closest thing to a real-world reaction I’ve felt from a controller. And yes, I do have some real-world stick time to compare it to.

Apparently, the new 2.5 version (which is free to currently registered users) adds a stick shaker facility, along with stall buffeting. I was in such a rush to get this article out that I haven’t tried those features yet. Knowing Russ Dirks, I’m sure they’ll be top notch. Get your copy of FS Force here – and if you’re not sold yet, he offers a trial version in which you can fly within the vicinity of Seattle to test it out for free. Can’t beat that.

Banana Bob’s Paint Shed

If you’ve ever gone looking for a new paint job for one of your planes, chance are you’ve encountered Bob Rivera, aka BananaBob. He’s one of the most prolific aircraft painters out there. I was perusing some of his Lionheart Kodiak repaints the other day when I noticed a link to his full paint collection, which is hosted on Nick Churchill’s Siminsider forum. Duh. Why didn’t I know/realize/remember that? Seems that although I frequent Nick’s ScreenshotArtist site (and yes, do the occasional banner graphic for it), somehow his forums hadn’t made it into my daily circle of visits. Consider that problem rectified.

If you want to breath new life into an addon, nothing works like a fresh coat of paint, and nobody paints ‘em quick like BananaBob. Hustle on over to his corner of the SimInsider forums and have a gander.

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s an… Eagle!

I was a bad boy last week. In my roundup of new releases, I neglected to mention one that will surely light the fires of virtual aerobatics fans. Iris Simulations, usually known for their high-quality military aircraft, have gone civvie for their latest release: the Christen Eagle. The screenshots looks fantastic, and I’m sure that this little buzzer will really eat up the sky. The virtual version has not only the blessing, but the support of the plane’s real-wold daddy, Frank Christensen, so that’s got to count for quite a bit. If you flew the FS9 Long Island Classics version, but have since moved up to FSX, this looks like just the ticket. Find out more on the Iris Simulations website.

Oh, and one more thing…

Last week, I profiled a pair of P-38’s that had just been released; one by Sky Unlimited, and one by FSD. If you bought the FSD version, the devs have been hard at work patching a few issues with their bird. You can follow the progress and download updates here. If you were holding off on buying the Sky Unlimited version for some reason, the US$17.95 price was supposed to have expired by now, but they’ve graciously extended it. Nobody knows when it’ll change, though. It’s a pretty sweet deal, so you’ve been forewarned. Now or (maybe) never…

Now go flying.

The crickets are back from Jamaica, and they brought suitcases stuffed full of FS news. It may be fall, but the add-ons are popping up like spring daisies all of a sudden. So, what happened this past week?

Team From Down Under Goes Up & Over

Perhaps craving a break from the great south land, OZx released another in their line of freeware FS scenery add-ons recently—oddly enough, covering Italy this time. “Tuscany Complete” is a photo-real terrain patch that drapes a large block of the coastal Italian region of Tuscany with aerial photography. Also included are the islands of Elba, Pianosa and Capraia, and all underpinned with high-detail terrain mesh courtesy of the meshmeister himself, Holger Sandmann.

So far, I’ve only had a chance to sample Pisa and its immediate surrounds, but this looks to be a definite winner. You definitely can’t beat the price!

Lightning Strikes Twice

Given its popularity, I’m surprised there haven’t been more P-38 Lightnings done for FSX. David Copley did a brace of them back in the FS9 days, and they were very nicely done. Finally, not one but two teams have turned their attention to the legendary “fork-tailed devil”, giving it the full treatment.

First out of the blocks was Sky Unlimited’s “Legacy of the Sky” package, which includes the P-38J, P-38K, and P-38L variants, with a P-38E photo recon plane thrown in to round things out. The detailing looks good, there are a number of paints included, and for the next couple of days the introductory price is a surprisingly low $17.95. For Lightning lovers, that’s pretty hard to pass up.

In the opposite corner is Milviz/Flight Sim Developers’ P-38J model, whose release is imminent. While it doesn’t cover as many variants as the Sky Unlimited version, the Milviz/FSD model seems aimed at more hardcore detail fanatics (possibly with more hardcore computers as well). The screenshots they’ve shown are astoundingly well done, with excellent detailing and carefully crafted textures. I’m a fan of baked-in shadowing, and their ‘pit really caught my eye. Another feature they’re including is both wartime and modern civilian VC configurations, something I wish more warbird makers would do.

Sibwings Bird Dog Beta Updated

Among the handful of people who even know they’re working on it, the Sibwings Cessna L-19 Bird Dog is one of the more anticipated releases in a long while. You’ll remember them as the team behind the gorgeous SAAB Safir, an under-appreciated masterpiece if you ask me. I’m fortunate to be on the Bird Dog beta team, and was delighted to get word of a new beta version release this week. After downloading it and tearing around Tuscany, all I can say is wow. These guys are devs after my own heart. Look at this artwork!

The newest beta includes three versions; standard wheeled, one with skis, and a floatplane. Each has a distinctly different cockpit layout, and all are equally stunning. Sibwings aren’t the most communicative bunch with the greater FS community, but it looks like the project is steaming ahead. I predict this little beauty will definitely make waves when it’s released.

Say Again, Please

This week also brought news from Robert Cezar, the developer of the “It’s Your Plane” audio expansion. This time, he’s tackling one of the biggest pet peeves I have about sim flying: the immersion-killing keyboard interactions with ATC. Microsoft did a pretty good job of simulating radio communications between pilots and controllers, in my opinion. But no matter how good the phraseology is or how natural the voices sound, having to respond to ATC by pressing a keyboard number just isn’t very real.

SuperATC aims to change that. It’s a speech recognition program that attempts to parse your voice replies to the FSX controllers and makes the ATC menu selection for you based on what you said. For instance, when ATC clears you for takeoff, you can just say “Cleared for takeoff” instead of pressing the “1″ key. In addition to the default ATC, SuperATC purports to work with the popular Radar Contact add-on as well. Robert’s work in voice recognition for FS deserves more attention than it gets. Did I mention that SuperATC is free? That’s reason enough to trot over to his site and give it a go, I think.

Albatros Reviewed

If you’re not already a fan of Nick Churchill’s site, Screenshot Artist, get yer butt over there and check it out. Nick is one of the most talented virtual photographers around (his work is seen in almost every high-end add-on’s publicity these days), and staff writer Ian Pearson is a thoughful and thorough reviewer. The latest article takes a critical look at Lotus Simulation’s groundbreaking L-39 Albatros. Gee, wonder if they liked it?

Breaking News! A2A’s Cub Update 1.1 Released

As I was typing this, I got word that A2A Simulations’ Piper Cub version 1.1 expansion (you read about it here last week) has just been released. I challenge you to a Cub race this weekend. Paddles only!

What gives? When I put up my first FF post a couple of weeks ago, we were awash in fantastic new add-ons. Last week, you could hear the crickets chirping, and this week… this week, even the crickets have packed it in for Jamaica. The upside is that in the lull, I’ve had time to (gasp!) fly a little. But more on that in a minute.

Still Yammering About the Cub

At the point when some devs would be having a cold one and resting on their wrinkly laurels, A2A seems to have just gotten started. One of my favorite FS filmmakers, Cody Bergland, posted a new video this week that details some of the new features A2A is planning for their upcoming Cub patch. Actually, patch has negative connotations. Let’s call it an expansion. Rather than spoil the surprise, I’ll let Cody show you what they have in store.

I don’t care if you’re a big iron driver or a die-hard fast mover, you have to admit that’s cool!

A Pilot for Every Passenger

Many (many) moons ago, when I was a wee lad just getting started in FS, I joined a Virtual Airline. At this point, I don’t even remember which one it was, but I do recall getting a little dizzy learning the rules and regs, humping back and forth across the country in a puddle jumper in search of the elusive rank upgrade. After a few years away from it, I’m pleased (and a little surprised) to find myself back among the ranks of the virtually employed once more.

Just this week, I took my first passenger for a revenue flight on Back Country Services. They’ve got a little different take on the usual cattle car mentality—they only fly Piper Cubs. Pilots can choose to be based in hubs in Tongass Fjords Alaska, Coffs Harbour Australia, Hoskins New Zealand, or Plum Island, Massachusetts. Seeings how I am fairly familiar with Alaska by now, I don’t yet have any NZ scenery, and I authored Plum Island, I opted for Coffs Harbour.

I took my first paying passenger aloft on Wednesday, and we had a lovely flight along the Aussie coast to Toumbaal Plains, a whopping 42NM or so away. She could have gone by car, but then she wouldn’t have gotten that barrel roll. If you’re looking for a zero-stress way to fly and maybe to visit some areas you’re less than familiar with, I highly recommend Back Country. It’s small, the people are friendly, and the flights are all around an hour’s length. Just the ticket for unwinding after work.

Bacon on Pommes Frites

Lest you think I only mention payware add-ons, there’s this: Tim “Piglet” Conrad is up to another plane, this time the seldom-seen Morane Saulnier MS.760 “Paris Jet”. I love that about Tim’s work—half the time, he’s modeling planes I’ve never even heard of. The forum response has been enthusiastic, to put it mildly.

In case you missed it, Tim’s most recent creation before this one was his SAAB J-21 pusher. Definitely not the first WWII-era airframe that comes to mind, but a fantastic effort on his part. Note to self: I need to fire mine up and give it a workout. This is the problem with the current crop of releases; there are so many of them at such a high quality level, it’s hard to find the time to enjoy them all.

Hey, look at that! It’s only 7:15 on Friday morning, and I’ve got another Fanboy Friday in the can. Beats rolling it out at the crack of 2pm on Saturday. This past week I’ve split my dev time between finishing the details of ORBX’s Stark’s Twin Oaks Airpark, and downloading, piecing together, and compiling some photo-terrain for Emma Field X. I was hoping to have new pics available by now, but they’ll be here soon. Promise.

Happy flying over the weekend!